Help Paying Power Bills in Covington County, AL

ABC Trust (Alabama Business Charitable Trust Fund)

Helps pay heating and cooling bills through local community action agencies.

Who

Low-income families and households facing temporary financial problems.

Good to know

Apply through your county community action agency (agency finder: https://caaalabama.org/resources/agency-finder/). Funded by Alabama Power shareholders.

Catholic Social Services of Dothan

Emergency Assistance Ministry by appointment Mon-Fri 9am-3pm: rent, utilities, medicine, transportation, food, clothing, furniture/appliances.

Who

Anyone in crisis regardless of religion; bring photo ID for adults, lease/mortgage, current bills, proof of income, SS cards for household; limited, usually one-time help.

Where

557 E Main St, Dothan 36301

Email

cssdothan@mobarch.org

Good to know

Appointments may be scheduled via (251) 434-1500.

Covington Electric Cooperative

Flex Advantage Pre-Pay and payment options; offices Mon-Thu 7am-5pm, every other Fri 7am-4pm (Andalusia and Enterprise).

Who

Members of the cooperative; hardship/elderly/disabled members for assistance funds.

Where

18836 US Highway 84, Andalusia, AL 36421

Good to know

Enterprise office 19349 Hwy 134. Local (334) 222-4121. Counties approximate. No hardship fund found online - ask; refer to Project SHARE/OCAP. Ask the co-op about payment extensions and medical/life-support flags; Alabama PSC Rule 12(E) does not regulate co-op disconnect rules, each co-op's own board policy applies.

Project SHARE (Alabama Power / Salvation Army utility assistance)

Project Share

Helps pay Alabama Power bills; apply at the listed agency for your county (Salvation Army office or community action agency).

Who

Alabama Power customers in crisis, priority to older adults (60+) and people with disabilities.

Where

2015 26th Ave N, Birmingham 35234

Good to know

County list = counties in the Project SHARE servicing-agency table (Alabama Power territory). Priority group is from general program info, confirm with agency.

Project SHARE (Alabama Power / Salvation Army) - statewide line

Project SHARE

Emergency winter (and summer, if funds allow, for medical emergencies) power-bill help funded by Alabama Power customer donations; also serves rural electric co-op customers.

Who

Low-income Alabamians age 60+ and/or disabled.

Where

PO Box 11005, Birmingham, AL 35202 (donations)

Good to know

Apply at the local Project SHARE partner agency for your county (separate entries); call ext. 2 for the local office. Program page says 57 counties served.

Project SHARE intake - Organized Community Action Program (OCAP) - Covington County

Project SHARE

Takes Project SHARE applications for emergency power-bill help (Alabama Power and rural electric co-op customers), mainly winter and peak summer.

Who

Low-income residents age 60+ and/or disabled; bring ID, bill/cutoff notice, proof of income.

Where

260 Hillcrest Drive, Andalusia, AL 36420

Good to know

Listed as the Project SHARE partner agency on the Salvation Army Project SHARE county table.

Salvation Army (Andalusia office)

Financial help with utility and rent/mortgage costs, by appointment only (no walk-ins).

Who

Covington County residents not already helped by other agencies

Where

Northside Office Park, off U.S. Hwy 29 N., Andalusia, AL

Good to know

Source article undated; confirm office is still open.

Society of St. Vincent de Paul - District Council of Mobile (Help Line)

SVdP

Central help line that routes callers to the parish conference covering their ZIP (17 conferences in the Archdiocese of Mobile).

Who

Low-income people living in the conference's parish ZIP area; usually a phone intake then home visit; limited funds.

Good to know

Inactive conferences (call help line instead): Corpus Christi, Most Pure Heart of Mary, Our Lady of Lourdes (Mobile).

South Alabama Electric Cooperative

Electric service; office Mon-Fri 8am-5pm.

Who

Members of the cooperative; hardship/elderly/disabled members for assistance funds.

Where

13192 Highway 231, Troy, AL 36081

Good to know

Toll-free (800) 556-2060. Counties approximate. No assistance program found online - ask; refer to Project SHARE/OCAP. Ask the co-op about payment extensions and medical/life-support flags; Alabama PSC Rule 12(E) does not regulate co-op disconnect rules, each co-op's own board policy applies.

Southern Pine Electric Cooperative - Operation Round Up

Operation Round Up trust gives individual grants (private hardship, medical, transportation) and pre-pay program.

Who

Members of the cooperative; hardship/elderly/disabled members for assistance funds.

Where

2134 South Boulevard, Brewton, AL 36426

Good to know

Individual application online or at any office; contact Valerie Ward vward@southernpine.org. Offices: Atmore 251-368-4842, Evergreen 251-578-3460, Frisco City 251-267-3196. Ask the co-op about payment extensions and medical/life-support flags; Alabama PSC Rule 12(E) does not regulate co-op disconnect rules, each co-op's own board policy applies.

SVdP - Christ the King Conference (Andalusia)

SVdP

Emergency assistance and food pantry for Andalusia, Opp, Florala.

Who

Low-income people living in the conference's parish ZIP area; usually a phone intake then home visit; limited funds.

Where

508 Sanford Rd, Andalusia 36420

Email

susanbgantt@centurytel.com

The Salvation Army - Andalusia office (Covington County)

Local service-extension office; call to confirm services.

Who

Low-income households in crisis in the service area; ID, proof of address/income and the past-due bill or lease usually required; aid depends on available funds.

Where

Northside Office Park, off U.S. Hwy 29 N, Andalusia

Good to know

From earlier local research, not on the official SA location finder; official directory routes Covington to Dale County Service Center (Ozark). Verify.

The Salvation Army Dale County Service Center (Dale & Coffee Counties)

Emergency assistance and Project SHARE power-bill help; call for hours.

Who

Low-income households in crisis in the service area; ID, proof of address/income and the past-due bill or lease usually required; aid depends on available funds.

Where

1177 Andrews Ave, Ste E, Ozark 36360

Good to know

Counties from Salvation Army ALM division location directory (salvationarmyusa.org/usa-southern-territory/alabama-louisiana-and-mississippi/location-directory/). Project SHARE lists (334) 389-0732 for Dale applicants.

Wiregrass Electric Cooperative

Electric service.

Who

Members of the cooperative; hardship/elderly/disabled members for assistance funds.

Where

509 N. State Hwy 167, Hartford, AL 36344

Good to know

Counties from Wikipedia. Toll-free (800) 239-4602. Assistance programs not verified online - ask; refer to SEACAP/Salvation Army Dothan. Ask the co-op about payment extensions and medical/life-support flags; Alabama PSC Rule 12(E) does not regulate co-op disconnect rules, each co-op's own board policy applies.

Alabama Public Service Commission - utility complaints & disconnect rules

Takes complaints about PSC-regulated utilities (Alabama Power, Spire); PSC General Rule 12(E) requires termination rules giving special consideration when life/health is threatened or for age/handicap.

Who

Customers of investor-owned utilities (not co-ops, municipal or most water boards).

Good to know

Rule 12(E) summary from LIHEAP Clearinghouse vulnerable-population disconnect page (liheapch.ncat.org/node/2812). PSC phone not verified here - see website.

LIHEAP energy assistance

Organized Community Action Program (OCAP)

Federal energy help paid straight to the power or gas company. Every Alabama county is served by a Community Action Agency that takes the applications.

Who

Income at or under 150% of the federal poverty level. Heating season: Oct 1 – Apr 30.

Where

507 N Three Notch St, Troy 36081

Good to know

This is the LIHEAP agency for Covington County (ADECA list).

Bring

• Photo ID
• Social Security cards for everyone in the home
• Last month's income proof for every adult
• Utility bill in the applicant's name

ABC Trust energy help

Alabama Business Charitable Trust (Alabama Power)

Emergency help with energy bills, given out through the county LIHEAP agency.

Who

Low-income households or those in temporary hardship

Alabama electric cooperatives (AREA)

Alabama Rural Electric Association

Points co-op members to their local electric cooperative for billing help.

Who

Members of Alabama electric cooperatives

Alabama Power low-income bill credit

Alabama Power

A $14.50 monthly credit on the power bill.

Who

Alabama Power customers receiving SSI or Medicaid for Low Income Families

Alabama Power Special Needs Assistance

Alabama Power

Due dates matched to benefit check dates, Braille or large-print bills, and services for deaf customers.

Who

Alabama Power customers with special needs or on monthly government checks

Project SHARE

Salvation Army of Greater Birmingham

Emergency help with power bills for older and disabled Alabamians, funded by Alabama Power customers and electric co-ops.

Who

Age 60+ or a person with a disability

Public Service Commission consumer complaints

Alabama Public Service Commission

Takes complaints about regulated power, gas, water and phone utilities after the customer has tried the utility.

Who

Customers of PSC-regulated utilities

United Way 2-1-1

Free, 24/7 referral line. Finds the smaller church and community funds near their address that open up week to week. Also 1-888-421-1266, or text a ZIP code to 898-211.

Who

Anyone

Weatherization

Organized Community Action Program (OCAP)

Free home energy upgrades like insulation and air sealing that lower bills going forward. The state line routes them to their county's agency.

Who

Income at or under 200% of the federal poverty level

Where

507 N Three Notch St, Troy 36081